The US Labor Trends: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Table of Contents

Introduction
U.S. Labor Trends
The Pandemic Industry Hiring Trends
Industry Layoffs due to Pandemic
The Post-Pandemic Workforce
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The pandemic has greatly impacted the labor trends of the U.S., both expanding and limiting opportunities for employers and employees. Nonetheless, most workers lost their jobs in the spring of 2020, and while some gave up looking for a new job, others were more enthusiastic about searching for an option (Auginbaugh & Rothstein, 2022). Even though the unemployment rate has hit its historically high level, the labor force participation rate (LFPR) is still non-significant, and people have barely attempted to look for a new workplace.

U.S. Labor Trends

There has been a visible growth in the popularity of remote work from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Since 2020, many companies have had to cancel office work and shift to online work, which has created major alterations in the business industry. What is more, the U.S. labor system has witnessed drastic changes in hiring and layoff processes. Major fields, such as healthcare and education, were on-demand and requested an additional workforce. Regardless of the high unemployment rate, there are still staff shortages across the country, which are unlikely to be solved in the following years due to the people’s unwillingness to find a job. For example, 70% of women claimed it was difficult to get back to work as they needed to take care of children and do the chores (Ferguson, 2022). On the other hand, service industries started to decline, and many individuals in this field lost their workplaces. In general, the jobs keep adding up, whereas the unemployment level is gradually increasing.

The Pandemic Industry Hiring Trends

The legal industry has witnessed major alterations since the pandemic began. Since the beginning of 2020, numerous sectors have had to adjust to the new methods of conducting business, and the legal field was not an exemption. The demand for lawyers, associates, and other legal professionals has increased, and the number of cases to be solved also surged. Therefore, legal firms had to boost the hiring process by interviewing candidates online. The gain of jobs was tangible – only in April 2022, 31,700 workplaces were added (Weiss, 2022). With the demand for specialists, the companies started to hire professionals suggesting short-term training, which impacted the quality of services provided. It used to take up to six months to educate an employee, while during the pandemic, the training time had to be drastically trimmed. Overall, the growth is expected to remain on the same level as the number of legal cases continues to rise.

Industry Layoffs due to Pandemic

The other industry that fell under the influence of the pandemic was brick-and-mortar retail. This field has suffered massive personnel layoffs for the rapid halt in demand for its products and services. The decline of this industry was foreseen as e-commerce has taken over the market, offering more deals (Schnure, 2021). As a result, most small retailers had to shut down their stores for the inability to pay their workers (Thorphe, 2022). A smaller number of staff was required to sustain operations during the pandemic as the demand-and-supply chain was on the verge of crisis. Some professionals were no longer needed to maintain the business operations because the buying power of customers had reduced. Therefore, the brick-and-mortar workforce may witness permanent layoffs as the online stores displace the offline ones.

The Post-Pandemic Workforce

After a turbulent two-year period, the businesses are ready to rebound with full efficiency. Probably one of the novelties among workforce hiring trends of 2022 would be the use of advanced screening tools (Friedman, 2022). Numerous organizations use apply for resume review as a primary tool for assessing a candidate’s eligibility for a position. However, modern realities dictate the usage of new methods such as skills tests. These tests will automatically evaluate one’s abilities and help employers determine if a person meets the criteria. In addition, this streamlined technology is supposed to shorten the hiring process and boost the performance of the new employees. Skill tests are also useful for identifying underqualified people (Koch, 2021). Moreover, they assist candidates in highlighting the competencies to be developed.

The other new tendency which will sustain the business operation throughout this and the following years is engaging workers by offering remote work. This strategy has become a subject of multiple debates for its controversial nature. It was thought to be ineffective, whereas others claimed it was a productive condition for work. Since the pandemic made many companies transfer from office to home, this trend gained popularity. What is more, most individuals have already gotten used to working from home and no longer desire to work offline. As a result, the organizations aim to entice employees to work for them but remotely. It is an efficient means of expanding the workforce since it does not require additional office seats (Friedman, 2022). Moreover, it attracts people from all over the world, making it possible to implement more positive changes in the company (“How manufacturers can create,” 2021). In general, this trend is expected to gain more relevance as working remotely is less time-consuming and more comfortable.

Conclusion

The pandemic has drastically amended the U.S. labor market, causing a high unemployment rate and staff shortage, affecting numerous fields. For example, the hiring process in the legal industry had to be boosted for the demand for professionals, whereas the brick-and-mortar retail stores had to stud down and fire many workers. As a result, to sustain the business operation, the companies should use advanced skills screening tools and offer remote work.

References

Auginbaugh, A., & Rothstein, D. (2022). How did employment change during the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence from a new BLS survey supplement. Beyond the Numbers. Web.

Ferguson, S. (2022). Understanding America’s labor shortage. U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Web.

Friedman, E. (2022). Hiring and recruitment trends to expect in 2022.Forbes. Web.

How manufacturers can create a talent pipeline and close the post-pandemic skills gap. (2021). Industry Week. Web.

Koch, A. (2021). Should talent be an extension of technology, or vice versa? Industry Week. Web.

Schnure, C. (2021). Brick-and-mortar retail is bouncing back.Forbes. Web.

Thorphe, M. (2022). Should companies retrain staff and avoid layoffs?LinkedIn. Web.

Weiss, D. (2022). Legal industry added 4,700 jobs last month; numbers continue to top pre-pandemic high. Abajournal. Web.

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